Fluid pump



July 25, 1944. J. J. PELOUCH FLUID PUMP Original Filed May 6, 1938 M Ham Min IN ENT R.

Patented July 25, 1944 FLUID PUMP James J. Pelouch, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor'to .The United States Air Compressor Company, a

corporation of Ohio Original application 206,409. Divided and this application October May 6, .1938, Serial No.

16, 1941, Serial No. 415,290

' Claims. (Cl. 103-20'3) My invention relates to pumping devices and more particularly to the releasing of entrapped air therefrom liberated by the substance being pumped.

An object of my invention is to provide a pumping device adapted to be mounted over a container and having an end which may be inserted through an opening in the container for pumping fluid therefrom. J

Another object is to provide apumping device for entrapping air-liberated from the fluid in the device and for discharging the entrapped air to provide a flow of fluid substantially free. of

Another object is-to provide a valve arrange ment for venting entrapped air from a pumping device without discharging fluid through the vent.

Another object is to provide a valve arrangement responsive to the operating position of a pumping device for controlling an air vent for releasing entrapped air from the pump. I

A still further object is toprovide an improved pumping device eflicient in operation and economical in maintenance.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by-referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: v

Figures 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views taken lengthwise and vertically along the longitudinal center of a pump embodying the features of my invention, Figure 1 showing the upper portionof the pump and Figure 2 the lower portion thereof, the two figures comprising the complete pump.

My pump is particularly adapted to be mounted to or mounted over a fluid container having an opening in the top thereof so that the lower end of the pump extends down into the con; tainer for the pumping of the fluid therefrom. This method of pumping fluid is especially used when grease or other lubricating fluid is to be withdrawn from the fluid container and applied to the parts to be lubricated; the fluid after leaving the pumping device passing through a hose attached thereto having a suitable nozzle at.- tached to the end thereof. The pump may be operated by a fluid motor such, for example, as shown in my Patent No. 2,268,898; issued January 6, 1942, for Fluid motor of which this applica tion is a division. In Figure 1 of the drawing, the reference character lfi represents the side walls of the cylinder of the fluid motor and the reference character I25 represents a casing member constituting one end of the 'cylinder. The piston which is reciprocally'mounted within the cylinder wall I6 is adapted to operate the pump plunger 79. The casing member I25 is adapted to be mounted to a suitable support for supporting the top in proper position relative to the fluid container so that the pump is directed downwardly into the container.. A cylindrical'metal cover I! is secured by suitable means to the cylinder wail it to provide good appearing and round outside surface to the fluid motor.

The plunger I9 extends down through the central bore of the casing member I25 and is secured to a lower. plunger I34 by the threaded connection I35 and the cross-pin I36, so that the plunger I34 reciprocates as a unit with the plunger 19. Y

A fluid chamber member I33 is positioned below. and secured by bolts or other suitable means to the casing member I25. The casing member I25 and thefluid chamber member I33 together form an enclosure within which there is a fluid chamber. Threadably secured to the lower end of the chamber member I33 is a pump cylinder I52 and threadably secured to the lower end of the pump cylinder I52 is an extension portion I53.

Threadably secured upon the lower end of the plunger I34 is a valve head I58 so that the valve head I58 reciprocates with the plunger I34. A cage member I59 around which the screen I60 is mounted is carried'by the head I58 at the lower end. The screen I prevents foreign matter from being drawn in through the pump cylinder into the pumping mechanism. The cage member I59 carried by the head I58 is secured thereto at its lower end by the cross pin I6I so that the cage member- I59 slidablyfltt-ing within the cylinder I52 moves up and down with the head I58 and the plunger I34. There is a movable piston I54 through which the plunger I34 extends and the piston I54 slides up and down within the cylinder I52. The movable piston I54 has a plurality of openings I5I providing communication betweenthe upper side of the piston I54 and the lower side to permit fluid to flow through the piston I54. There is a shoulder I56 on the piston I54 which is adapted to engage the shoulder I uponthe plunger I34. The piston I54 is also adapted to engage the valve head 458 at the junction I51. Therefore the valve head I58 engages and carries upwardly the piston I54. The valve head I58 and the piston I54 meeting at the junctinn I51 thereby close communication through the openings I5I sealing the space at the junction point I51, so that there is communication established through the openings I5I to both sides of the piston I54. Therefore, upon ton I54, and the head I58 are merely displaced in the fluid within the cylinder I52.

l downward movement of the plunger I34, the pis-.. 1

and the other half on the other side of the plunger I34. The drag member I42 is preferably made of bronze or some other soft metal of suitable nature. There are flange portions I50 extending along the outside of the drag member I42 andv extending through the flange portions I50 are four screw boltsfI43. smallzcoil springs I44 are positioned under the head of the screw bolts I43 so that the mating flange portions are resiliently held towards each other and against the plunger I34 by the springs I44 and the screw bolts I43. Therefore, the split drag member I42 [is mounted resiliently to the plunger I34 in such ward movement of the plunger I34 the openings I5I are thereby closed at the junction I51 and a sucking or pumping action is "obtained by the raising action of the piston I54 up throughthe cylinder from the fluid container. 7

A check valve I32 is positioned at the inlet opening I64 at the bottom of the pump housing. The check valve I62 permits fluids to be drawn up into the pump housing upon the raising of the piston I54 and also acts to entrap fluid within the pump cylinder upon downward movement of the plunger I34." A coil spring I63 carried by the extension portion I53 is provided to bias the check valve I53 in "its closed position except when there is a sucking action by the pump.

Mounted within one wall of the chamber member I33 and approximately at its upper end is an air outlet plug I4I, which extends through the wall of the chamber member I33 and is secured thereto by bolts or, other suitable means. An air outlet conduit I40 extends through the outlet plug I4I so as to provide communication between the inside of the chamber member I33 and the outside atmosphere.

To provide valve means for opening and closing the air outlet conduit I40, there is provided a valve arrangement I 39 which is operated by the reciprocal movement of the plunger I34 through a sleeve I31 which surrounds and loosely fits about the p1ungerI34 so that the plunger I34 may move up' and down within the sleeve I 31. The valve member I39 is carried by and extends through the upper enlarged end of the sleeve I 31. A circular spring member I38 positioned within the upper enlarged end of the sleeve I31 resiliently holds the valve member I39 outwardly and so resiliently pressesv it against the inside face of the air outlet plug MI. The contacting faces, respectively, of the valve member I39 and the outlet plug I 4| are ground flat to form a good seal connection between them so that the valve- I39 acts as a valve for the air outlet opening I40. When the valve member I39 is moved up in proper alignment so as to block the outlet opening I40, then communication between the interior of the fluid chamber and the atmosphere is prevented. Upon the valve member I39 being moved downwardly away from the outlet opening I40, then communication is established between the atmosphere and the interior of the fluid chamber through the outlet opening I40. There is secured to the lower end of the sleeve I31 a drag member I42 which has a flange fitting into notches cut into the lower end of the sleeve I 31 so that the sleeve I31 and drag member I42 are secured together and move up and down in unison. The drag. member ..I42 has an axial opening through which the plunger I34 extends and is split atits lower end so as to formtwo halves, one-half on one side of the plunger, I34

a way that the frictional engagement of the plunger I34 with the drag member I42 carries ,the drag member I42 up and down with the reciprocal movement of the plunger I34. However, cylinder I52 which draws fluid up into the pump the resiliency of the springs I44 is such that the drag member I42 is not rigidly secured to the plunger I34 and limitation of the movement of the sleeve I31 causes the plunger I34 to slide through the drag member I42 and to continue its reciprocal movement. Therefore, as long as the sleeve I31 is free between its limits of travel it is carried along by the plunger I34. Upon the sleeve member I31 meeting the limits of its travel, it is stopped thereby, and the plunger I34 is caused to slide with a drag through the drag member I42. There is a shoulder I40 upon the upper end of the sleeve I 31 which is adapted to engage the shoulder I41 extending out within the chamber member I33. Therefore, the shoulder I41 upon engaging the shoulder I46 prevents the sleeve I 31 from moving downwardly with the plunger I34 beyond the point of engagement. There is a shoulder I48 positioned within the chamber member I33 which is adapted to engage the shoulder I49 of the drag member I 42, and prevents the sleevemember I31 from being carried upwardly by the-plunger I34 beyond the said point of engagement.

Downward movement of the plunger I34 car ries the sleeve I 31 and the valve member carried thereby downwardly so that the valve member I39 opens the outlet conduit I40. movement of the plunger I34 carries the sleeve I 31 and the valve member I39 carried thereby upwardly to close the outlet conduit I40. At the beginning'of each reciprocal movement of the plunger I34, the valve I39 is operated by the dragging action of the drag member I42 and further movement of the valve I 39 is prevented until the plunger I34 begins its next reciprocal movement. It is therefore seenthat operation of the valve member I39 to open or to close the outlet conduit I40 occurs only during the initial portion of the upward or of the downward movement of the plunger I34. 1

A partition I45 extends part way up through the open space within the chamber member I33 so as to partially divide the said open space. Extending down into the open space constituting the fluid chamber within the chamber member I33 is positioned the pipe I32 threadably secured at its upper end to the casing member I25. Fluid drawn up through the pump housin follows a tortuous path and flows through the sleeve I31 and, overflows in the chamber member I 33 and around the partition I45 and up into the pipe I32. The outlet conduit I28'is formed within the casing member I25 and extends through the wall thereof so as to provide communication between the fluid chamber within the chamber member I33 with the hose connection I24, to which the hose conducting fluid to the part to belubricated Upward v is'attached. There is a check valve .I 3Il .positioned in the'path f 'thefluid flowing through the outlet conduit I28 for the purpose of providing a resistance to the flow of the fluid and preventing air after the pump 'is'in operation from entering the tube I32 and causing said air to be entrapped in the uppermost part 'of'the chamber I33 and there vented through the opening I45. A by-pass valve I3I is provided to permit fluid to flow back into the outlet conduit I28 around the check valve I30 in the event that excessive pressure is generated in the-hose such as may be caused by the expansion of the fluid 'under theheat of the sun upon the hose. In the event that there is considerable back pressure of the fluid from the hose attached to the pump housing so as to cause an excessive amount of pressure within the pump housing, there is pro- 'vided a very small pin hole I65 in the check valve I62. The continuance of the excess pres- 'sure permits" the fluid entrapped by the check valve I62 to slowly leak out through the small pin hole I65 and thus permitting the piston I54 and plunger I34 to move downwardly through the pump cylinder. caused by the excessive back pressure will, by moving the sleeve I37 downwardly, open up the valve I39 and thus permit fluid to escape through the conduit I46, which thus acts as a safety valve to release the excessive pressurewithin the pump housing.

The fluid chamber within the chamber member I33 is sealed from the air cylinder'of the air motor by the illustrated chevron seals. The upper chevrons and coil spring are held down in place by the threaded plug 85 and the lower chevrons and coil spring are held up into proper position by the threaded plug I29. There are two small openings I26 and i2! extending through the wall of the casing member I25 for permitting any fluid which may leak up past the lower chev ron seals to escape from the casing member. Any fluid which may escape beyond the lower chevrons may seep out through the small opening I21. Should any more fluid work up past the opening I2I beyond the chevron seal, thenit may escape out through the small opening I26. In this way there is an effective seal to prevent fluid from working up along the plunger I9 into the air cylinder of the air motor.

In operation, fluid is drawn up through the inlet opening I64 by the pumping action of the upwardly moving piston I54, the junction I51 which constitutes a valve being closed during this movement. The fluid which is drawn in the lower end of the pump cylinder I52 is entrapped therein by the valve I62. Also, during the upward'movement of the piston I54, the fluid in the pump cylinder I52 which is above the piston is forced upwardly in the pump cylinder I52 and the travel or path of flow of the fluid is as follows: From the upper end of the pump cylinder I52, beginning at the bottom of Figure l, fluid flows into the annular space between the outside of the plunger I34 and the inside of the sleeve I31. The fluid rises in this annular space, until it overflows the top edge of the sleeve I31 and then it flows down into the well defined by the partition I45 in the bottom of the chamber I33, after which it is forced upwardly through the depending tube I32 therein and thence into the outlet conduit I28. On downward movement of the piston I54, the juncture I! is open with the result that the piston I54 and the head I58 are This downward movement fluid in the pump cylinder I52 which is below the piston I54 to flow through the .openjunction: I51 into the pump cylinder I52 above the piston I54. Upon the upward movement of the piston the cycle is completed. The repeated raising of the piston I54 draws fluid up into the fluid chamber within the chamber member I33. The fluid upon being continuously pumped flows down around the partition I45 and up throughthe pipe I32 from whence it is discharged through the outlet conduit I28. Any air liberated from the fluid collects at the top of the fluid chamber. The arrangement of the pipe I32. within the fluid chamber of the chamber member I33 acts to entrap the air liberated from the fluid so that an air pocket'is formed in the uppermost part of the chamber. The downward movement .of the plunger I34 operates the valve member I39 to permit the air so entrapped to escape out through the air outlet conduit I40 to atmosphere. The downward movement of the plunger I9 into the fluid in the fluid chamber displaces fluid contained therein and the displacement of fluid by thedownward movement of the plunger I9 also causes the displaced fluid to compress the entrapped air and to expel it out through the conduit I40 opened by the valve member I39. There-. fore when there is entrapped air pocketed in the top of the fluid chamber the downward movement of the plunger I9 aids in the expelling of the entrapped air to the outside of the casing member I35.

Upon the upward movement of the plungers' .19 and I34, the valve I39 closes the conduit I40:.so that fluid raised up into the fluid chamber under pressure by the upward movement of the plungers is not permitted to escape out through the conduit I46, but is caused to flow out through the outlet conduit I28.

Upon downward movement, the disengagement of the piston I54 with the head I58 opens the openings I5I and permits the plunger I34 and the piston I54 carried thereby to be displaced downwardly through the fluid entrapped within the pump cylinder by the check valve I62. Thus fluid is expelled through the opening I28 only upon the upward movement of the piston.

Although I have described m invention with a certain degree of particularity,it is understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combina tion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fluid pumping device comprising, in combination, cylindrical means, piston means recip rocally mounted in the cylindrical means, means for causing the piston means to draw fluid into the cylindrical means, said cylindrical means having a fluid outlet through which fluid is expelled upon a movement of the piston means in one direction, said cylindrical means also having an air pocket at a higher level than the fluid outlet to entrap air liberated from the fluid, means to vent said air pocket, and means mechanically connected to, and responsive to the movement of, the

, piston means in the opposite direction to positively open said vent means by said movement and to allow the entrapped air to escape, said piston means displacing fluid in the air pocket in the merely displaced in the fluid, thereby causing the upper level of said cylindrical means to force entrapped air therefrom.

2. In combination, a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, a plunger reciprocally movable-in said housing, a pump piston slidably mounted in said housing and operable by said plunger, said pump piston being adapted to pump fluid: through said housing fromthe inlet to said outlet, the said housing having an air trap arranged within said housing to trap air liberated from the fluid in said housing, said housing hav-, ing a discharge vent adapted to communicate with said air trap, valve operating means carried by the plunger, and valve means connected tosaid valve operating means and operable by the reciprocal movement of the said valve operating means carried by the plunger for controlling the communication between the air trap and the discharge vent and arranged to positively close the discharge vent upon upward movement of therplunger and to open the discharge vent upon downward movement of the plunger to permit air. in said air trap to escape through the discharge vent.

. 3; In combination, a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, a plunger reciprocally movable in said housing, pump means operable by said plunger for pumping fluid through thehousing from said inlet to said outlet, said housing having a fluid chamber through which said plunger extends, said fluid chamber having an air trap in its upper portion for collecting liberated air from said fluid, and means operable by the said plunger for releasing air from said air trap upon downward movement of said plunger in the fluid chamber, said plunger upon downward movement in the fluid chamber providing a displacement therein to force air from said air trap. 4.,In combination, a pump housing having an inlet and an outlet, a plunger reciprocally movable in said housing, a piston carried by said plunger for pumping fluid through the housing from the inlet to the outlet by the upward movement of the said plunger, said housing having a fluid chamber through which said plunger extends, said fluid chamber having an air trap in an upper portion thereof through which the plunger extends for the collection of air liberated from the fiuid in said chamber, and discharge means mechanically connected to, and directly operable by the downward movement of; said plunger for releasing said air in the air trap, the downward movement of the plunger displacing fluid in said fluid chamber upon operation of the discharge means, the displaced fluid forcing said airout of the air trap through said discharge means.

5. In combination, a liquid pump housing having a movable piston therein, air discharge means for releasing from the pump housing entrapped air displaced by said piston and liberated by the liquid being pumped from the pump housing, and hidden means mechanically connected to, and

directly :operable by the movements of, the piston for actuating the air discharge means, means for limiting the movement of the air discharge means to a value which is less than the movement of the piston, said'friction means afteractuating the air discharge means having relative movement with respect to the piston.

6. In combination, a, liquid pump housing having a movable piston therein, air discharge means for releasing entrapped air liberated by the liquid being pumped from the pump housing, and friction means operable by the movements of the piston for mechanicall actuating the air discharge means during the initial phases of said movements of the piston.

7. The combination with a liquid pump having a movable piston therein, of air discharge means for releasing from the upper portion of the pump entrapped air liberated by the liquid being pumped from the pump, and friction means mechanically operable by the piston for positively actuating the air discharge means, means for limiting the movement of the air discharge means to a value which is less than the movement of the piston, said friction means after actuating the air discharge means having relative movement with respect to the piston.

8. The combination with a liquid pump having a movable piston therein, of air discharge means for releasing entrapped air liberated by the liquid being pumped from the pump, and friction means mechanically operable by the piston for actuating the air discharge means during the initial phases of movement of said piston.

9. In combination, a pump housing, a piston mounted therein, said housing and piston being relatively movable with respect to each other for pumping material, air discharge means for releasing entrapped air liberated by the material being pumped from the pump housing, and triction means operable in accordance with the relative movement of the pump housing and the piston for mechanically actuating the air discharge means during the initial phases of said relative movement.

10. In combination, a pump housing, a piston mounted therein, said housing and piston being relatively movable with respect to each other for pumping material, air discharge means for releasing entrapped air liberated by the material being pumped from the pump housing, and friction means operable in accordance with the relative movement of the pump housing and the piston for mechanically actuating the air discharge means, means for limiting the movement of the air discharge means to a value which is less than the said relative movement, said friction means slipping after actuating the discharge means to the limit of its movement.

JAMES J. PELOUCH. 

